This is part three and the last article on making a “face” and creating a feminine look! In addition to considering the jaw line, I will also review lips and making your nose appear thinner. I don’t want a strong jaw line but a softer one that matches the angle of my cheek bone. In the first article, we altered our eyes to reflect a cat eye. In the second part, we created a cheek angle through contouring, highlighting and shading. For a square shape face, like mine, it is important for the jaw line and cheek bone to match. Certain hairstyles with bangs or wispy curls can frame and soften your facial features. If your wig is the icing on the cake, your makeup is the cake decoration. Finishing the jaw line establishes the lower perimeter of your look. With my darker contouring shade, I use a 1 inch brush and run a line from just below the midline of my chin, up along the jaw line, covering more of it until it get to the end of the jaw line. I also put a little on my Adam’s apple. Next, I take my light contouring shade and run a little above the darker shade along with a little on either side of my Adam’s apple. It is important to remember, darker shades appear further away, lighter shades and highlights appear closer. You need to blend, blend, blend the jaw line and Adam’s apple! This will soften your jaw line and the lighter area of your jaw will be more prominent to the eye. In effect, the jaw line will appear smaller, less prominent.
Let’s turn to your lips. I feel keeping it simple is best. Prior to doing your makeup I am sure you showered, shaved your legs and whatever else you like to do. If you don’t use a facial skin scrub, you should definitely consider it. I use one prior to doing my makeup and I make sure to do a gentle scrub of my lips with the lotion or a very soft toothbrush. Don’t be aggressive with your brushing or scrubbing – you’ll irritate your lips. Before doing my makeup I apply a SPF Olay Lotion, photo primer and finally my foundation. I do apply a light covering on my lips as well. As I am contouring my face, I put a darker shade under my lower lip and a much lighter colour above my upper lip. I finish my lips with a little translucent powder and brush off any excess. As I want my lips to reflect my cat eye and cheek angle, I’ll create a sharp V with my Cupid’s bow. I will also line outside the upper and lower lip line making them appear larger. I always use a lip liner which is only slightly darker than my lipstick. I pinpoint 4 points on the upper lip and several on the lower lip, then begin to line my lip connecting the points. I also fill in my lips inside these two lines with my lip liner before applying my lipstick. I put on my lipstick from the tube over most of my lips. Then I use a lipstick brush to bring the lipstick into the lip liner blending them. I don’t want an obvious circle around my lips. Once they are blended, I’ll take a lighter shade of lipstick and apply a little in the centre of the lower lip and upper lip. I will also take a fine brush with a little foundation and tidy up the line under the lower lip and Cupid’s bow. In effect what we have achieved is the lower lip looking more pronounced by contouring below the lip with a darker shade and then highlighting the lips enhancing them, making them pop. A little white powder just above the Cupid’s bow and on the tip of your nose will slim your face, nose and have the centre of your face pop.
My nose is a little broad from my days playing hockey. (On a side note, at least in hockey you I got to use a garter belt and stockings just not the sexy kind.) So, I need to try to slim my nose and create a sharp midline ridge. As discussed previously, I apply a darker shade with a 1/4″ brush and run a line down each side of the ridge of my nose. The lines end up being about 1/2″ apart. Then I run a much lighter contour along the ridge of my nose to the tip. I blend and blend again till the lines mesh but I can still make out the significant shade differences. My trick now is to highlight the lower 1/3 of the ridge of my nose and then make a little “button” like highlight on the very tip of my nose. If needed, I’ll go back with a smaller powder brush and tidy up any excess powder. Once I am happy with my look, I use a makeup setting spray which helps your makeup stay in place and last longer! One final look in the mirror and a smile before I slip back into my bedroom to finish dressing. I can’t wait to see myself when I finally put on my wig and turn myself to see the person I really am, Melissa.
Thanks for the information.
I’d love to be able to do my lips but at my age, my lips amount to merely a thin line that delineates my mouth from my face. Lip liner helps a little but try too hard and I start to look like a drag artist or even worse, a clown!
My mouth shows my age as a thin line too. What can I do?
Thanks for another installment in your wonderful series Melissa. I find it instructive as wel las affirmative. I’ve been using basically the same lip procedures, so I feel like I’m on the right track.Now to try your contouring suggestions, and i have never used a setting spray. The adventure continues!
Thank you Melissa,
Lots of very good and extremely helpful pointers! I’ve always used the techniques you mention for my jawline and nose. My hairdresser, who was a beautician for 35 years, says she knew I was intersex and not just trans just because of my cheeks, jawline, my soft facial skin, and what she calls, my killer Cupid’s bow! I will have to try the lighter powder above my Cupid’s bow and on the tip of my nose. 🙂
Hugs,
Ms. Lauren M
Stephanie here, I wanted to share a daring experience where I am now. Three days ago I landed in Vietnan in a middle size city, took an apartment. J I have passed comfortably @ home in Fla. Dressed daily to the grocery or doctors office, brokers office or bank. But today with trepidations, I went out in fem, in pencil blue pint skirt, pretty panties and blouse. Not knowing what to expect I walked perhaps a half-mile among locals on sidewalks to an open Aire market teaming with shoppers. As I a. A bit taller than again folks generally, I… Read more »
Wonderful to hear! You are absolutely right! There probably are a few gay bars where they host drag shows as well. You never know?
hi Melissa i am so sorry for my last message ( i’m a bit of a newbie here) i have found your previous articles and am looking forward to learning from them. Thankyou so very much for taking the time out to cover these subjects and passing on your skills and knowledge. please continue to enlighten us further. Caroline
Hi Caroline, thanks for taking the time to review the article. I hope some of the ideas prove valuable to you.
Cheer Melissa